Daily devotionals

Engraved on the Heart

Posted on by Betsy

Today’s Scripture comes from a time in Old Testament history when God was about to restore Israel and Judah and bring his people home. He had allowed the infiltration of foreign armies to come in and decimate them, but the time was coming soon for the people to be returned from the diaspora and reclaim their land. A lot had happened since they left, and their understanding of the Law, the covenant, and their relationship with God had been diluted during their time in Babylon and beyond. But God remembered his covenant and told the prophet Jeremiah that the return to their promised land was upon them:

Jeremiah 31 (Common English Bible)

27 The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will plant seeds in Israel and Judah, and both people and animals will spring up. 28 Just as I watched over them to dig up and pull down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and plant, declares the Lord. 29 In those days, people will no longer say:

Sour grapes eaten by parents
    leave a bitter taste in the mouths of their children.
30 Because everyone will die for their own sins:
    whoever eats sour grapes
    will have a bitter taste in their own mouths.

Several generations had been born and had died during the time that they were away from Israel and Judah. The sins of the fathers had taken a toll on the children. But God’s new covenant with his people would be different. 

31 The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 It won’t be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant with me even though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 

33 No, this is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my Instructions within them and engrave them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 They will no longer need to teach each other to say, “Know the Lord!” because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord; for I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sins.

God desired now to put his instructions within each person, engraving the Law and his promises on their hearts. No longer would they have to depend on the priest to mete out scriptural teaching … God desired that everyone know him. And knowing him came with forgiveness of their past sins, which God promised to forget.

This scripture is a great reminder to us today of the importance of personal bible study, daily devotions, prayer, and meditation. We cannot rely on the pastor or priest for Scriptural instruction, but rather are invited to know God in our hearts and minds for ourselves. Considering that multiple Bible translations are right in your phone, that task has never been easier. How much of God’s word do you have engraved on your heart?

God desires to KNOW you and be known by you. Isn’t it amazing to think that the Creator of the universe wants a relationship with you? Thanks be to God.

Looking for a summer “beach read” devotional book? Psalms by the Sea is available at Amazon.

Day-O

Posted on by Betsy

Have you ever had an ear worm song (also known as sticky music) stuck in your head at night that became so loud, it woke you up from your dreams? I have been plagued by the repetitive playing of “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” in my mind for weeks now. This popular hit from the 1950’s was actually written decades earlier. It tells the story of Jamaican dock workers who toil through the night to load bananas onto the ships for transport. At sunrise, they are sent home after a tally is taken to inventory how many pounds were loaded. They work at night to avoid that harsh sun, so when “daylight comin'” they get to go home. Harry Belafonte’s velvet voice has been singing this to me for weeks now.

I suppose you could have worse songs stuck in your head. “It’s a Small World” comes to mind.

Not knowing the history and meaning of the song, I wondered why banana harvesters got to go home at daylight. I missed the whole “boat” part and thought it was strange for bananas to be cut down from trees at night, which would be a dangerous proposition. Then my sleep-deprived brain wandered into other places, like how good banana bread is and how lovely a simple banana spread with peanut butter tastes.

Daylight for me is a time of great productivity, not rest. Our beautiful sunrises here on the water wake me up with the hope and promise of a new day, and I spend my first hours of the day doing exactly what I am doing right now: reading Scripture, researching Scripture, and writing. Oh, and consuming large amounts of coffee. A friend asked me last week if I designate a certain time every day to write, and the answer is yes. I once read that Ernest Hemingway got up and wrote 500 words every day of his life and the structure and discipline of that (not to mention the results!) made an impression on me.

What do you do to welcome the new day?

Psalm 30 (English Standard Version)

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
    and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
    you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
    and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

The psalmist reminds us that sunrise is a good time to extol and praise the Lord when he draws us up from sleep. Even when the sunlight floods the room at 5:30am and you can’t get back to sleep, offering God your first word of thanks and appreciation sets the tone for the rest of the day. Yesterday’s weeping is replaced by a new day’s joy and the knowledge that you get a do-over. And it beats the alternative of not waking up.

What do you do first thing in the morning? Go out in joy today, and make it count.

Day-O by Michelle Robertson

Go Out in Joy

Posted on by Betsy

I have confessed before that I am a lover of words. Words capture my imagination and take me to new worlds. Words express my deepest fears and unspoken longings. It is no coincidence that all of my favorite pastimes involve words: daily rounds of Wordle, playing a scrabble game called Words with Friends, reading, writing, and of course, communicating with people all day long through the spoken and written word. Words have the power to transport us, correct us, redeem us, and empower us.

Sometimes a particular word will come to my attention, and I try to find ways to use it just because it is so cool. Currently I am stuck on malarkey, pernicious, and obfuscation. I challenge myself to use new words in a sentence once a day if I can. What a bunch of malarkey, you say? Better than resorting to obfuscation! Using language that is unclear can be pernicious over time. Say what you mean and mean what you say, I say!

And of course I am a huge lover of the Word that was with God, the Word that was God, from the very beginning of existence.

So when I read today’s lectionary, the beauty of the words jumped out at me and made me want to just post the Scripture without commentary. Who can possibly add to these vibrant images of rain and snow coming down from heaven to water the earth? What words could enhance the picture of water bringing forth seed to the sower and bread to the eater? Isaiah is a master wordsmith. Just pause for a moment and drink this in:

Isaiah 55 (New Revised Standard Version)

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose
    and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

God promised his children that just as the rain comes to earth for a purpose, so does his word. Rain waters replenish the soil and help things grow before they return to heaven. God’s word is poured out on his people and accomplishes its purpose before it returns to him. You can count on this.

12 For you shall go out in joy
    and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
    shall burst into song,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

The notion of going out in joy and being led back in peace to God’s promises is a pure moment of refreshment to the weary soul and a reminder of hope to all who wait for the deliverance that God’s word brings. God’s word is an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. From the earth to eternity and back again, God’s promises are good.

13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
    instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle,
and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
    for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

God is pouring out his word to you today. It might be a word of hope or correction. It might be a call to action or an invitation to rest. Whatever it is, it will not return to him void.

Are you listening?

Baby Osprey by Michelle Robertson

Harvest Hands

Posted on by Betsy

I truly admire those of you who love to garden. My husband and I were walking around our community and noticing the hard work of our neighbors who put in beautiful flower beds, raised vegetable gardens, flourishing bushes, etc. We walked back to our house and noticed the stark contrast. We have not planted one single thing in the fourteen years that we’ve been here. We just aren’t gardening types, but we do admire our neighbors’ hard work. The truth is, I am struggling right now to keep a basil plant alive in little pot in my kitchen. Plants fear me, with good reason.

I do like to think that I have been involved in a different type of gardening, though. I water the seeds of Scripture that the Holy Spirit has planted in people’s hearts. My life’s vocation has been attending to a harvest of a different sort. This is the kind of gardening we are all called to do.

In our Scripture today, we see Jesus calling his 12 disciples and giving them their cultivation tools. In the Message version, he called them his “harvest hands.”

Matthew 10 (The Message)

35-38 Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”

The Twelve Harvest Hands

10 1-4 The prayer was no sooner prayed than it was answered. Jesus called twelve of his followers and sent them into the ripe fields. He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits and to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives.

I love the language here. We are called to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives around us. My mind instantly goes to the Stephen Ministers in my church and the lovely Care Team that delivers delicious casseroles to homebound people. Wouldn’t it be nice if they also volunteered to do some gardening for the gardening-challenged? I might bring this up at our next meeting!

This is the list of the twelve he sent:

Simon (they called him Peter, or “Rock”),

Andrew, his brother,

James, Zebedee’s son,

John, his brother,

Philip,

Bartholomew,

Thomas,

Matthew, the tax man,

James, son of Alphaeus,

Thaddaeus,

Simon, the Canaanite,

Judas Iscariot (who later turned on him).

5-8 Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge:

“Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.

Here is the charge to us as well. Go to the lost, confused people right in your neighborhood. Touch the untouchables. Live generously. And proclaim the good news of Jesus’ kingdom come. We are God’s harvest hands, and it’s time to get down in the dirt and get the work done.

What is God calling you to do today? Plant some seeds? Water what has been planted? Prune some over-growth? The charge is clear. May we pick up our tools and follow him.

Huge Harvest by Kathy Schumacher

Is Anything Too Hard for God?

Posted on by Betsy

A friend recently shared her daughter’s frustrations with me in her attempts to get pregnant. Newly married and in her mid-thirties, she is ready and able to start her family, but with each monthly reminder that conception has alluded her she grows more despondent. There is something unbalanced in the world when some who never intended to become mothers conceive easily and without preparation while others struggle. If you have gone through IVF or know someone who has, you can relate to this.

Our lectionary today takes us to a woman well past child-bearing years who was promised that she would bear a son. It had been her life-long dream to have a child, but old age and menopause had taken away any hope of that. Then God promised her that she would bear a son in her old age. I once heard a preacher joke that she was so old, her maternity bills were covered by Medicare.

In this part of the story, three angel-men have suddenly appeared to Abraham and Sarah in their desert home and repeat the promise:

Genesis 18:10-15 (The Message)

10 One of them said, “I’m coming back about this time next year. When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man.

11-12 Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies. Sarah laughed within herself, “An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?”

Note that Sarah laughed within herself. Also note that God heard her laugh. This is a reminder to us that God sees and knows us from the inside-out, and we might do well to guard our thoughts.

13-14 God said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?’ Is anything too hard for God? I’ll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby.”

Is anything too hard for God? What a beautiful reminder for those who feel let down, abandoned, and hopeless. God hears our deepest longings and gives to us what is good. But he does that in his time, not ours. It’s hard to wait, isn’t it?

15 Sarah lied. She said, “I didn’t laugh,” because she was afraid.

But he said, “Yes you did; you laughed.”

Sarah lied, but God did not renege on his promise. Sarah showed a lack of faith, but God was faithful to her anyway. Sarah responded in fear but God responded in the strength of his miracle.

Are you feeling despondent today? Take heart. God hears your prayers and is ready to respond with what is good, holy, righteous, and safe. We are never alone.

Is anything too hard for God? Nope.

Serenity by Kathy Schumacher

Losing Yourself

Posted on by Betsy

According to scientists, the average human head has approximately 100,000 hairs and about as many follicles. You are born with all your follicles and do not develop more as you age. Hair grows at a rate of half an inch per month, and we lose between 50-100 strands of hair each day … unless you are the parent of a teenager, in which case you can double that.

If you are wondering why we are talking about hair today, our Scripture makes the wonderful statement that God numbers the very count of hairs on your head. Isn’t that amazing? Granted he gets to skip over the baldies, but still, to think that he can know us in such finite detail is something to marvel.

Matthew 10 records Jesus’ instructions, encouragement, and admonitions to the disciples when they encountered great resistance to their public proclamations that Jesus is Lord. They were being bullied and persecuted for their faith and they struggled to stand up for their beliefs among all the nay-sayers around them. Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever been put down for being a Christian? Take heart and read on.

Matthew 10 (The Message)

29-31 “What’s the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.

God loves the tiny canary but he loves you even more. Read that again. He is the author of all creation and gave his only Son for our salvation, which proves his love for us. He pays attention to what we do and knows us down to the last detail. Does that encourage you or intimidate you? If intimidation is your answer, what are you trying to hide?

32-33 “Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?

34-37 “Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.

This part of the Scripture takes a sudden turn. We’ve gone from the gentleness of being reassured of our worth to what feels suddenly threatening, as Jesus makes it clear that however we have treated him in our lifetime on earth will determine how he will treat us in eternity. Do you pretend you don’t know him when the going gets tough? Do you remain silent when your beliefs are ridiculed and disparaged by a secular society that has turned its back on God?

Are you in or are you out?

38-39 “If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.

It is important to note that this section of Scripture is peppered with an instruction to not be intimated by the world. In fact, in the passages that surround it, Jesus says “do not fear” three times in six verses. If we chose him over every other relationship on earth, there will be nothing to fear. The sharp knife that divides earthly relationships is Jesus’ way of helping us understand that we are called to make a radical commitment to him and learn to die to self so that we might live with him. Devotion to Christ must come before devotion to any person, place, or thing.

Where are you on this spectrum of public belief? Is God calling you to make your faith known?

Pick up your cross, and follow him.

God Loves us More than These by Michelle Robertson

God Heard

Posted on by Betsy

Let’s talk about healing today. I find this can be a tricky subject for some. We see many acts of healing in the Bible done by Jesus in his lifetime and even done by the disciples in his name. The Old Testament contains healing stories as well, as God divinely intervenes in a situation to bring healing to a person or a nation. We are taught from early days to pray for healing, and in the book of James we are instructed to come together as a body of Christ to lay hands, anoint with oil, and ask for healing in the name of Jesus (James 5:14-15).

Televangelists have given healing services a bad name. In an effort to extort money from hopeful believers, they have scammed their viewers and falsely proclaimed that they have some mystical power to heal. I remember watching one such televangelist laying on top of a desk piled high with sealed envelopes (containing money along with the prayer requests) and proclaiming that everyone was healed. The only thing he could actually relieve them of was their dollars.

I have been blessed to participate in legitimate healing services in my church. Following our United Methodist Book of Worship, these services are grounded in Scripture and prayer. God’s intervention is sought as we remember together that only God has the power to heal, and we remember that God hears our every petition.

I think that is the key. God hears. He hears the sincere petitions of his people. He hears the unspoken desires of our hearts. He hears our faith as we gather at an altar to speak to him. He hears our needs as we present them before him. And he always answers.

Psalm 116 ( New International Version)

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
    he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
    I will call on him as long as I live.

This beautiful psalm is a reminder that God hears. When we pray for healing and it doesn’t come, sometimes we accuse God of not listening or being absent. But that is not the case, and this is the tricky part of healing: God may give you an answer that you didn’t expect. The answer may even be “no.”.

When I was a very young and very naive young pastor with the ink still wet on my ordination papers, my church conducted a healing service. I remember it like it was yesterday. Many more people came than we had expected, and by the end of the night I was worn out. One of our church members, who had been absent for two years, was wheeled up by her family for the anointing of oil. She had cancer and had been suffering for months. We prayed over her and anointed her with the virgin olive oil someone had brought back from Israel.

She died the next day.

Confused and uncomfortable, I went to the senior pastor for comfort. I thought it was a failure of our efforts that someone had died within 24 hours of our service. He kindly and gently told me that she had indeed been healed, as her pain was now gone and her body was restored in heaven. He reminded me that ultimately we only find complete healing in death and resurrection. I realized then that she was the first person to receive healing from our service, and that understanding has undergirded my faith ever since.

Healing comes in the way God sees fit. It comes at his pleasure. It comes in his time. It comes in ways that are good for us, even when we can’t see it.

12 What shall I return to the Lord
    for all his goodness to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.

This psalm also reminds us that if you have received healing, you are invited to respond with fulfilling your vows, serving God, and offering your thanks. Of the ten lepers who were healed by Jesus, only one thought to come back and thank him (Luke 17: 11-19). Have you remembered to thank God for all of your blessings?

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
    is the death of his faithful servants.
16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;
    I serve you just as my mother did;
    you have freed me from my chains.

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
    and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord—
    in your midst, Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord.

If you are struggling today, waiting for an answer that seems to not be coming, have faith. God heard you. God loves you. God responds in his time, so take heart! Your redeemer comes.

Path to Healing (by Fayette Piedmont hospital) by Kathy Schumacher

The Power of Words

Posted on by Betsy

 I have a favorite children’s sermon I like to do that demonstrates the power of words. I hand a child a paper plate and a full tube of toothpaste and ask them to squeeze out every bit of the toothpaste onto the plate. While they are doing this, we talk about good words that build people up and bad words that tear people down. It is always a little scary to ask the kids for examples of bad words, as I am afraid that they might quote a parent right there in the sanctuary, so I try to confine it to playground talk. This backfired on me one time when a child proclaimed that his daddy, who happened to be our Trustee chair, cussed a lot at home. The fellow sheepishly raised his hand and nodded to the congregation as they laughed. Three months later told me he hadn’t cussed in three months. Kids will call you out!!

Then I take the plate of toothpaste and the empty tube and hand it to another child and ask them to put all the toothpaste back in the tube. It confuses them, and often two or three will try until they all realize it can’t be done. It is the same with words. Once they are out, you can’t take them back.   

Our Scripture passage today makes the same point in a less messy way. The simple truth is that words have power. Words can build people up and strengthen relationships, or they can destroy a person’s ambitions, security, self-esteem, and hope. If you have ever been unfairly criticized by a parent, boss, or co-worker, you know the sting of a word said harshly. 

Proverbs 15:1-7 (Common English Bible)

A sensitive answer turns back wrath,
    but an offensive word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise enhances knowledge,
    but the mouth of a fool gushes with stupidity.
3 The Lord’s eyes are everywhere,
    keeping watch on evil and good people.

4 Wholesome speech is a tree of life,
    but dishonest talk breaks the spirit.
5 A fool doesn’t like a father’s instruction,
    but those who heed correction are mature.

6 Great treasure is in the house of the righteous,
    but the gain of the wicked brings trouble.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
    but the hearts of fools have none.

We can appreciate the direct approach these Proverbs take. The short series of contrasts make the point very clearly. Did you have a favorite? I especially like verse 2: “The tongue of the wise enhances knowledge, but the mouth of a fool gushes with stupidity” (Common English Bible). This can be verified right now by reading people’s comments on Twitter or Facebook. This verse sums up all of the wisdom literature in a concise sentence and is a reminder to us of the importance of seeking wisdom throughout our lives. It also reminds us to stay quiet when we really don’t know what we’re talking about. If only the television pundits would do likewise! We live in an era of misinformation where opinion and agenda are substitutes for factual news and it has left us bereft of the truth.

Fortunately, we who know Jesus know the Truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, Common English Bible). In a world that lacks any conventional or common wisdom, it is imperative that we hold fast to the Truth and teach him to our children. 

As you go about your day, ponder these verses about the power of words. Wholesome speech is indeed a tree of life! (See verse 4.) Are you using your words to build up others, or do you prefer to gossip? Are your words peppered with anger and hurt? Do you need to go and make amends with someone because of something you said?

Words have power. Use them carefully.

Power by Michelle Robertson

Freedom Way

Posted on by Betsy

My travel to the Candler School of Theology for three years of seminary classes took me through some of the worst parts of Atlanta, Georgia. Traffic, multiple stop lights, confusing intersections, and impossible junctions were all part of the commute. I would sit at one particularly long red light every day and watch the progress of a new road being constructed that would eventually cut ten minutes off my ride. It was built adgacent to the Martin Luther King center. The day it opened I sailed along its long pastoral corridor and thought how aptly named it was. It was called “Freedom Parkway.” Its location was a fitting nod to the incredible work King did in his lifetime as he fought for civil rights for all people. A Baptist minister, King was exceptionally endowed with the power of the Holy Spirit to be bold, persuasive, persevering, and effective.

 In our reading today, Stephen was said to have the same power to persuade people about Christ. He was described as one who stood out for his notable wonders and signs and for his exceptional endowment of divine power. Many tried to argue with him in opposition to his theology, including some from the Synagogue of Freedmen. I find it ironic that freedmen resisted the freedom of the Gospel. But according to verse ten, none of them could resist his message. His wisdom wooed even the most ardent detractor, so eventually his fiercest opponents lied about his preaching and brought him up on false charges.

The parallels between King and Stephen really stand out in this passage. King was falsely accused and arrested for proclaiming the truth of God’s unconditional love, mercy, and justice for all people. Both men were bold, and both were persecuted for their faith.

Acts 6: 8-10 (Common English Bible)

8 Stephen, who stood out among the believers for the way God’s grace was at work in his life and for his exceptional endowment with divine power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose from some who belonged to the so-called Synagogue of Former Slaves. Members from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia entered into debate with Stephen.10 However, they couldn’t resist the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

I wonder if I am bold enough.

I wonder if I am persuasive enough.

I wonder if I am effective enough.

How about you? Is your witness powerful enough to be irresistible to those willing to listen and threatening enough to those who oppose the Gospel?

Stephen was full of grace, faith, and power. He also was willing. This is an unbeatable combination. Surely Stephen spent a great deal of time in the presence of God in meditation, study, and prayer. Surely he offered his gift of oratory to the Holy Spirit and yielded his own comfort to the call of being an itinerate preacher. Surely, he was not just willing, but able.

This is a reminder to us today that when we submit to the power of the Holy Spirit, we, too, can be outstanding in our witness. May we seek and know the Spirit’s irresistible power so that others may know Jesus through us and be freed.

Freedom Way by Kathy Schumacher

Authority

Posted on by Betsy

When a United Methodist pastor is ordained, a bishop lays hands on their head and leads the congregation in asking for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon that person for the lifework they are about to pursue. The second part involves the bishop commanding the ordinand to “take the authority” of their particular office of deacon, elder, or bishop. Even in the order of the ceremony, the power of the Holy Spirit precedes the church’s or bishop’s authority and is sought first. In the Ordinal’s language we see the always moving and living Spirit being invoked, and we trust the Spirit’s ongoing outpouring on the ordained. Those who are ordained serve as conduits of the Spirit’s moving among the whole people of God as they worship, serve, give, and obey.

Sometimes the “obey” part can be tricky. I once had a crisis of conscience over performing a church member’s wedding. It had become evident to me through the pre-marital counseling that this relationship, which began online, would not be safe for my wealthy bride. I suspected that the groom was a predator. When I addressed this with her, she was quite angry with me and wanted to continue with the wedding. In the end, I told them that I could not do the wedding, obeying the strong suggestions of the Holy Spirit. She left the church in anger, only to return a year later to tell me that a private investigator had discovered that this man had married and divorced six other women he met online and had amassed half of their fortunes. My refusal to do the ceremony bought her enough time to investigate him.

When the Holy Spirit is so strong and convicting, there is truly no choice but to obey. This is what Peter and the apostles knew as they stood in front of the Jerusalem Council and defended their authority to preach in Jesus’ name. The Council attempted to intimidate them and commanded them to stop, but they chose obedience to God rather than these human authorities. It was an act of audacious boldness. We are instructed in the New Testament to submit to authority and obey our rulers, but not when doing so is a direct contradiction of God. 

Acts 5: 27-32

27 The apostles were brought before the council where the high priest confronted them: 28 “In no uncertain terms, we demanded that you not teach in this name. And look at you! You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. And you are determined to hold us responsible for this man’s death.”

29 Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than humans!30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God has exalted Jesus to his right side as leader and savior so that he could enable Israel to change its heart and life and to find forgiveness for sins. 32 We are witnesses of such things, as is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

The Council objected to Peter and the apostle’s preaching on the basis that they had “filled Jerusalem with their teaching” (verse 28). What an amazing testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit working through their preaching!  If someone accused me of filling my whole town with my teaching, I would be flattered as heck!   

I had the “authority” to do that wedding, but I chose to obey the Holy Spirit instead. May we tune our hearts to the authority of God through the whisperings of the Holy Spirit and find the courage to obey.

Eagle’s Wings in Reflection by Kathy Schumacher